Chapter 23 Such a Good Girl
William yanked down her pants and gripped her waist, dragging her to the window's edge.
The freezing glass hit her bare back. Isabella's whole body shuddered from the cold, instinctively leaning forward—her breasts pressing against William's chest.
His eyes turned glacial. "You're disgusting," he hissed. "Getting turned on even like this."
No. She was just cold. She was terrified.
"Then I'll give you what you want."
"Don't... William, not here..."
He unzipped, forcing her clenched thighs apart. His cock drove into her pussy without mercy.
The sudden invasion made her body recoil. She pushed against his back, but he slammed deeper, the impact making the glass shudder with a dull thud.
"If you want everyone to see, keep fighting me."
His warning poured into her ears like ice water. Isabella froze, not daring to move.
In her peripheral vision, she caught someone passing in the hallway. Terror made her shake harder. William's thrusts grew more brutal, nearly snapping her spine.
The person walked by without noticing. Isabella had barely exhaled in relief when William spun her around, pressing her against the glass.
Her breasts flattened against the cold surface. William lifted her hips and entered her again. With each thrust, her chest scraped against the window, making obscene squeaking sounds.
Sickening. Every second was agony.
She tried to cover herself with her hands, but he grabbed them, forcing her body more exposed behind the glass.
Anyone walking past could see everything happening inside.
He bit down on the back of her neck, his voice savage in her ear. "Remember this—you're alive to suffer. You don't deserve comfort. You don't deserve happiness. You don't deserve to smile."
He wanted to destroy her dignity completely.
Isabella shifted from initial panic to numbness.
Everyone already thought she was trash. Everyone believed she'd seduced William.
Her dance video was already gone viral. What did this matter anymore?
She didn't know how long it lasted before William finally pulled out.
Isabella's strength drained away. She collapsed to the floor, staring blankly at the tiles.
A glint of light caught her eye—William's phone sat behind them, recording video.
Her eyes flew wide. She watched him straighten his clothes and walk over, a dangerous smile playing on his lips.
"You... you recorded it?"
William picked up his phone, walked to her, and pulled up the footage he'd just captured, satisfaction spreading across his face.
"Look at you taking me. An hour of footage—plenty for your college friend to enjoy. This'll be the best porn he's ever seen."
Isabella's face went white as a sheet. She knew exactly how vicious William could be. If he said he'd show Ambrose, he would.
She shook her head. "Don't. William, please... don't."
He grabbed her chin. "You'll be good, won't you?"
"Yes."
"You'll do whatever I tell you."
"Yes."
He patted her cheek. "Such a good girl. But if you piss me off, I'll send it to him. And I'll post it online where you can't hide from it."
She lowered her head. As long as he didn't tell Ambrose, she could endure anything.
If Ambrose didn't exist in this world, she wouldn't care if William made it public.
William's smile carried shadows—not enough. He wanted her to sink deeper into the mud.
She didn't deserve anyone's concern.
After William left, Isabella passed out. A nurse helped her back into bed.
The nursing station had heard everything from the room. The sounds and exposure were impossible to miss—you'd have to be blind not to notice.
They'd reported it to the hospital administration, but the director didn't dare offend the Spencer family's heir. He could only order nurses to block passersby to protect the hospital's reputation.
When Isabella woke, the nurse's eyes had changed.
"You two are insane. Screwing when you're this injured—you've got a death wish. The doctor says your condition's worse. You need to stay hospitalized."
Isabella didn't respond, as if she hadn't heard. The nurse waved a hand in front of her face. Isabella's eyes didn't even blink, which sent chills down the nurse's spine. She hooked up the IV and left quickly.
Isabella didn't care what others thought. She just needed to stay alive.
The phone on the nightstand rang. Isabella reached for it, her fingers still trembling. Seeing it was Thalia, she hesitated before answering.
A concerned voice came through. "Isabella, where have you been these past two days? Are you sick?"
She hadn't requested leave or called in. That's why Thalia was checking.
"I'm not sick."
"Then come back to the office tomorrow. I need to talk to you."
Isabella hadn't planned on returning, but she felt herself breaking. Maybe only work could keep her going. She agreed.
"Okay."
She had to survive to fulfill Beatrice's wishes.
The next day, she returned to the company. Her coworkers were pissed.
Even though Thalia usually warned them off, it was impossible to stop people from talking.
She'd barely entered the lobby when she heard the whispers.
"How's she back? Disappears for two days and just waltzes in."
"Right? What's the point of us clocking in every day?"
"She's working under Mr. Thomas Spencer now. Bet she's already sleeping with him. It's what she does best."
Isabella walked past without responding, heading straight to Thalia's office. She knocked and entered.
Thalia saw she'd lost even more weight, all ten fingers still wrapped in gauze. Her heart ached.
"Isabella, what the hell happened to you?"
Isabella didn't answer. "Ms. Wesley, you wanted to see me?"
Thalia handed her the competition guidelines. "Like I told you before, I entered you in the design competition. These are the requirements. You need to start preparing."
Isabella reached out with numb hands to take it. This competition had once been her highest dream.
She'd told Beatrice she would become a top designer.
"Isabella, I don't know what you've been through, but I believe in you. You won't let me down, will you?"
Thalia couldn't bear to watch talent die. She wanted to pull Isabella back from the edge.
Because right now, Isabella seemed drained of all life, like she might disappear at any moment.
Isabella nodded. "I'll try. Thank you, Ms. Wesley."